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Travel Ideas: Wonders of the World

The Ancient Seven Wonders of the World were listed by the ancient Greeks, but they didn’t know about many other fascinating sites that existed in other parts of the world, or since. This has led modern historians to come up with The Forgotten Wonders of the World:

Abu Simbel Temple in Egypt
Angkor Wat in Cambodia
The Aztec Temple in Tenochtitlan, Mexico
The Banaue Rice Terraces, Philippines
Borobudur Temple in Indonesia
The Colosseum in Rome, Italy
The Great Wall of China
Machu Picchu in Peru
The Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy
The Mayan Temples in Guatemala
The Easter Island Statues
Mont-Saint-Michel in Normandy, France
The Throne Hall of Persepolis in Iran
The Parthenon in Athens, Greece
Taj Mahal in Agra, India
The Temple of the Inscriptions in Mexico
Petra, the rock-carved city in Jordan
The Shwedagon Pagoda in Myanmar
Stonehenge in England

There is no agreement among people around the world as to what the Seven Wonders of the Modern World should be. However, a few of the following would probably be on everyone’s list:

Eiffel Tower in Paris, France
The Empire State Building in New York City
The Gateway Arch in St. Louis, USA
The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco,
The High Dam in Aswan, Egypt
Hoover Dam in Arizona/Nevada, USA
Mount Rushmore Memorial in South Dakota
The Panama Canal
The Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
The Statue of Liberty in New York City
The Suez Canal in Egypt
The Sydney Opera House in Australia
The Statue of Cristo Redentor in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
The CN Tower in Toronto, Canada
The Clock Tower (Big Ben) in London, England
The Channel Tunnel between England and France

The Wonders of the Natural World are mostly agreed upon, although there are more than seven, and every list is a little different. Here are the agreed-upon ones:

Angel Falls in Venezuela
Mount Everest in Nepal
Mount Fuji in Japan
The Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia
The Grand Canyon in Arizona
Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania
Niagara Falls in Ontario and New York
The Great Barrier Reef in Australia
Victoria Falls in Zambia/Zimbabwe

Most Popular Travel Destinations in the United States

Travel advisors at Virtuoso, a leading luxury travel network in the Americas, the Caribbean, Australia and New Zealand, have voted for 10 most popular destinations in the United States for 2011 in Virtuoso Luxe Report. Check them out!

Maui, Hawaii
A prominent part of the Hawaiian archipelago, Maui tops the choice of leisure travelers in United States with 60.08 percent having opted for the island. Maui Island has also had recognition of “Best Island in the World”. The island in the Hawaii state of US offers leisure and adventure travel experiences with whale watching, active volcanoes, snorkeling, water skiing, golf courses, cruises and more attractions aboard. West and South Maui are supposedly the best tourism spots with west embracing shopping places, finest restaurants and resorts while south wooing with its miles of sandy beaches and underwater funs. Maui’s major airport is Kahului Airport that connects to the major islands.

New York City, New York
New York’s presence in the top ten list and that too on second slot with 56.38 percent of the votes is very much inevitable. In 2010, the New York City attracted almost 49-million tourists, about 7 percent up from 45.5 million the previous year. According to city’s mayor Michael Bloomberg, last year’s figure firmly places the city on a pace to draw 50 million visitors in 2011. Some special attractions this year are bound to draw tourists to New York. The Statue of Liberty’s 125′s birthday and the inauguration of the National September 11 Memorial devoted to 9/11 tragedy will keep New York in tourism spotlight in 2011.

Las Vegas, Nevada
The popularity of the Vegas as a major city in the world for gambling, casinos and night life is not unknown and the Virtuoso luxury travel experts ranks this Nevada’s city third with 42.8 percent of votes. The Las Vegas Strip, a stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard, housing some of world’s major casinos, largest hotels, restaurants and the like will continue to brace the city as one of the most popular tourist destinations in US.

Napa Valley, California
With 37.45 percent of votes, Napa Valley in California noted for viticulture, would be one of the most visited places in United States this year. The Valley has numerous wineries that attract as over five million people every year.

Orlando, Florida
The city of the Disney World, Orlando will continue grabbing world’s attention with announcements about revamping of Fantasyland and opening of a new Disney Resort that is expected to keep travelers excited about the place, and so the city gets 31.69 percent of votes in Virtuoso Luxe Report.

San Francisco, California
Golden Gate, China Town and cable cars gave fame to San Francisco as much as the city’s architecture, museums, and art and entertainment culture wooed tourists. The city is also a popular spot for gay tourism and scores about 30 percent of votes among top ten destinations in US for 2011. (more…)

Things to Do in Chiang Mai, Thailand

Not many tourists know that it is not only in Bangkok that you can spend a Thai holiday with friends and family. One great choice is the city of Chiang Mai, which is an exotic city ideal for vacations and tours. From rafting to jungle trekking to simple activities such as shopping and clubbing during the night, you surely will enjoy your trip to the city of Chiang Mai.

Rafting
Any tourists will enjoy rafting down the well-known Maetang River. This activity is often combined with mountain biking and elephant riding. Many rafting adventure companies offer 10-kilometer rafting trips along the river. Rafting in this river is most exciting from the months of June to October, when the water levels are higher.

River Cruising
Taking a cruise down the Ping river is one of the best ways to spend your vacation in Chiang Mai. The cruise is done on a sail boat and lasts a day. This is a popular choice for romantic dates and intimate parties. (more…)

Things to See in Egypt

Egypt is probably best known by the pyramids and ancient burial sites of long dead Pharaohs, but there’s much more to it than that. While without a doubt the ancient Egypt remains are one of the most astonishing remains of the Ancient world available for tourism, Egypt also has places of natural beauty difficult to find anywhere else, such as the Red Sea or the dessert, and cultural centers such as el Cairo. Many say that once you go to Egypt once you’ll be longing to come back, and here are some of the reasons why:

Pyramids and Templates
It’s impossible to talk about Egypt and its culture without mentioning the Pyramids and temples, legacy of the ancient Egypt Pharaohs. The most famous pyramids are those at Giza, an ancient necropolis that was the after death home of Pharaohs through the first to the fourth dynasties. The tomb of Pharaoh Cheops is the tallest Egyptian pyramid, 10 meters taller than the Red Pyramid build by his father. Along with the pyramids for the reigning Pharaohs, temples and smaller pyramids for the Pharaoh wives and family, and another of Egypt’s landmarks: The Sphinx. Many of those sites are now empty; their treasures stolen over the years of confusion after the fall of the last Kingdom, but archaeologists are still making new discoveries even today. There are many other pyramids and templates all along the Nile, smaller but not less impressive and often less frequented by tourists. (more…)

Activities in Aiken, South Carolina

The city of Aiken owes its beauty to its history. This picturesque community has preserved the city’s historic character and there are a number of places of tourist interest here including the various museums and golf clubs.

Aiken County Historical Museum
This museum which is housed in the Banksia (formerly a winter colony mansion) aims to collect and preserve all historical material related to the Aiken county. Entry is free and the museum is open between 10 to 5 pm between Tuesday and Saturday and 2 to 5 pm on Sunday. Amongst its continuously changing exhibits you can find the Odell Weeks Room, the Agricultural Room (Aiken County – once the asparagus capital of the world), our Military Hall Exhibit, the Pottery Exhibit, the Winter Colony Room, the Golf Exhibit, etc.

Aiken Golf Club
In a state made for golf, Aiken offers some of the best golf course layouts for enthusiasts. The Aiken Golf Club steeped in golf history remains one of the oldest courses in the country. Situated in the middle of the town, it plays 5,734 yards from the Medal Tees, 5,361 yards from the Mid Tees and 4,572 from the Fore Tees. (more…)

Dalat, Vietnam – Where a World of Romantic Adventure Awaits You

Perched high in the Southern Central Highlands amidst valleys, lakes and waterfalls, Vietnam’s Dalat is known for its mountain scenery and delightfully cool weather. Originally inhabited by the Lat and Ma hill tribes (Da Lat meaning “stream of the Lat People”), who now live in nearby Lat and Chicken Villages, Dalat became a holiday resort for commanders who tired of the tropical Vietnamese climate during the French Colonial era. It remains Vietnam’s “Le Petit Paris” and its “city of eternal spring”, its colonial mansions and over 2000 remaining French villas still reflecting its French influence. (more…)

The Island of Phu Quoc – A Gem in the Southern Region of Vietnam

Situated in the Gulf of Thailand, the island of Phu Quoc is a Vietnamese gem. It is responsible for attracting many thousands of tourists to the island and southern region of Vietnam, and is bursting with natural attractions and landscapes. It is quite large, but the island is more renowned for its densely covered jungle and mountainous middle.

Flying to the island is recommended for travelers not interested in penny saving. However, the flights aren’t that expensive anyway. A Phu Quoc hotel is generally convenient and close to a beach. However, regardless of the time of year tourists reach the island, accommodation bookings are recommended. (more…)

Most Popular Modes of Transportation to Genting Highlands, Malaysia

Genting Highlands, the City of Entertainment and Casinos, is located in the mountain region in the state of Pahang, Malaysia. There are many travel options when traveling to Genting Highlands. Getting there can be an enjoyable or a hectic experience dependent on the mode of transport and also on the weather conditions. Below are some recommended transportation tips to Genting Highlands in Malaysia. (more…)